Fall of an Empire
by Lectictinium
Summary: Holy Rome's death *Rated T for violence, I guess...* A short story based off of an amazing picture on deviantart   : / tatsubana-r . deviantart . com /gallery/ 27122855# / d38glsh


**Fall of an Empire**

I'm being attacked by an unknown enemy. I've been told to run ahead whilst some of my army draws off the attackers, but I don't want to leave anyone behind. We'll all go home, I promised… All I know for sure is that they're a lot stronger than me… I thought the war was ending? I turn around to look back for an instant to see a line of soldiers.

Stumbling as the first arrow pierces me I'm desperate not to cry out, not to voice pain or let you know. Because if I give in now, I'm sure you'll hear me scream.

I fall to my knees as a second arrow cuts through my without much difficulty. It's hard to stand back up but I manage to recover.

I don't even know who it is attacking me, I'm just falling apart. I can hear the rest of my army fighting behind me but it's useless.

I'm just not as strong as I once was; the heavy burden of war and constant fighting has taken its toll. I'm finally paying the price.

What will happen to my house? What will happen to the ones I care about, the only _one_ I _truly_ care about?

More blood spills out from yet another wound. An arrow is sticking out from my chest, expertly aimed and shot between my ribs, merely an inch from my heart. I can feel into cutting closer with each breath. A soldier is running towards me, wielding a sword in one hand expertly poised to kill. One of my men runs to intercept, slicing across the enemy's arm.

A mirror of myself, the soldier's eyes widen in shock as another arrow strikes true and pierces my side, and I gasp in pain. My head is swimming. I can't focus. Why won't everything piece together any more? Two more of my army rush to my side, but fall with thuds, arrows protruding from their necks. This time it's too much and I turn to run.

My feet pound along the ground as I try to ignore the pain and that one arrow creeping towards my heart with each step.

Someone calls my name amongst the chaos.

A gasp echoes out in the silence amongst my heartbeat. It was my gasp… How could I be hearing that voice now?

Maybe…

I turn back around though I know I'm not going to see the owner of that voice. No matter how much I want to-

A blade slices deep into my stomach with ease. The soldier from before, clad in red, had defeated my protector quite easily. As I had weakened, so did my army.

I cough up blood, coughing again as my spasms cause the metal to cut further.

My cloak shifts as I raise my hand to wipe away the blood. With the slight movement I spot my only possession.

Sudden concern and desperation flares as I grab it and hold it close.

Then I scream.

The red soldier had pushed the blade further through my body along my stomach. Acid spills out onto muscle, burning… burning…

The pain is excruciating. I can't think for the pain.

It's not just the stomach wound, the pain of acid isn't so great or fatal, but when I jerked back all of the arrowheads wound their way further into my body. The arrow in my chest scratches against my heart. That vital, beating muscle freezes for an instant.

For some reason, the soldier lets go of his weapon, leaving it to slide slowly from my body, but I don't notice as a black fog passes over my eyes.

Shaking my head to clear it I step backwards, nearly collapsing.

There's another hiss as air parts and two more arrows thud into my arms, both slightly below the elbow.

I start to feel weak and dizzy as my arms, now dead weights, drop to my sides.

The last I have of you falls from my hand onto the ground where I can't see your face: peaceful, beautiful. All of you so perfect, despite my lack of skill.

And I fall, turning, to look at you one last time. A muffled thud as I connect with the ground, pain shooting through my already tired body. The wind, sympathetic, wipes away my tears but they won't stop. Water seeps into my clothes just as the red dyes them. The arrows and sword jut out of my body and I don't have the strength to try and remove them. It would only worsen the pain…

As the blood spills onto the cold desolate ground I stop to think of you in these moments I have left.

I try to smile despite the pain.

Don't wait too long for me okay?

"_Holy Rome!"_

And at the last, I'm here  
reaching out

for you.

* * *

based off of a picture on deviantart

reviews please?


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